Hard docks/blindsides

The driver is driving the truck.. even if the trainer says its clear an you hit something.. guess whos fault it is.. I have had dock hands trying to tell me to keep backing.. but I still got out an looked.. I'm the one who gets reamed if i tag another truck or pole or what ever....

 

Darned Skippy!

 

El Ranchero on South tripp Ave. just north of 47th to the west of Cicero in Chicago is a tough one. You have to either blind side from the street into a building that is on the edge of the street or go up the street a ways, do a Left turn back through the intersection, then do a left back down S. Tripp to do your sight side, there are Rocks and a fire hydrant to miss on the opposite side! I had a 53 foot and my condo Columbia. I hit my marks and got it right on the first try last Wed. but I was shaking like a leaf when I was done!

 

Chicago has several that are a nightmare to back into. I can't tell you how many times I have had problems backing in on the sight side off of the street. There are a handful that I had to blindside in with a spread off the street and they were no fun either.

 

http://www.thetruckersreport.com/truckingindustryforum/members/wiseguywireless/albums/my-pics/6999-01-05-10-0727/

This one was one that was one that you had to pay attention of getting it right on the first try, Had to pay attention to the front of the truck also.

 

^^^^ shucks he still isn't in the door tight! LOL That place was built for horse and buggies!

Many moons ago like back in 92 when I applied at an "older" company and we went out for the test drive I found out that this company didn't pay for round mirrors. That was a drivers expense! Well at the end of their drive way is this big assed sign that says "Trucks, NO right turn" And yes it was put up by the city!

Well the guy giving me the road test was the "general manager" and the second thing out of his mouth after start it up was "take a right."

I looked at him and pointed at the sign, didn't say a word and he says "yeah I know but that's the way I want you to go."

So I stopped the truck and backed up a little as there was this nice DEEP ditch next to the driveway!

I start out again and because there was no spot mirror on the truck as I started my turn I unhooked my seat belt and stood up and leaned over this "overweight" person to look out the window!

It totally freaked this young pup out! WTF are you doing he asked me and I told him "looking out the FNing window because there is no spot mirror and I don't want to sit here waiting for the wrecker!"

He replies that he's never seen anyone do that before and I told him I'd never driven a truck without a spot mirror before! The guys in the sleeper started laughing it got so funny in that truck!

Any way I passed the road test and I have done my share of blind side backing and standing up and walking across the truck to look out the passenger side window isn't a big deal with me. Heck I used to crawl across the doghouse in cabovers to look. It's just about the same as GOAL you just aren't walking all the way to the back to see what you ran over to get to where you are!

I get a lot of drivers when I'm blind siding in at truck stops who freak out watching me do my deal! Blind siding isn't as blind as some make it out to be! But 32 years you learn a trick or two!

Now what really PO's me off is these YoYo's who get on the CB or on your running board in your face and scream at you for "almost" hitting their truck! Yeah you heard me ALMOST!

I opened the door and got out almost making this fat arsed moron fall off the running board and I walked back to his truck and asked him "show me where I almost hit your truck?"

He started to point at his fender and got this funny look on his face and then you could hear the crickets! I just turned around and got back in my truck! I love those who got dropped on their heads by daddy to many times as a child!They're so easy!

 

This brings to mind something I was thinking about the other day. I wish all newbie drivers were told that there is NO dock that you can't hit.

What I mean is if a dock is able to be hit by anybody then, if you have the same equipment, you can hit it, too. It may take you 73 pull-ups and 148 trips to the back of the trailer to check your position, but you can do it if anybody else can.

I wish I had realized that years ago when I started. Just driving into any situation with a feeling of confidence can make everything go much smoother. So next time you're sitting there in line waiting your turn to hit a difficult dock and watching an old-timer slide it in on the first try... don't be worried. As long as you go slow and GOAL you can do the exact same thing even though it may take you a lot longer.

Possibly the only time I don't recommend this attitude is when you find yourself trying to park right in the driveway of a busy truck stop around 21:00 cause that big old line of impatient drivers you will be blocking might not appreciate your can-do-never-say-die attitude. In that situation you might just want to find an easier spot.

 

Had an old POS truck that I drove for a company that didnt have blind spot mirrors.
I used a broom handle to power the right mirror from the left seat
Right side glass was air powered and would often fail to close,usually when it was raining . . . . .

 

Just a thought, when blind siding, don't forget your power mirror on the passenger side. I use mine all the time leaving our plant.

 

Truckstop parking should be the easiest place to park being that there are a hundred drivers to jump out and lend a hand. It's just a shame that nobody is man enough to help out anymore. If we helped each other like this more often, maybe our noobs wouldnt get under our skin so much. They would learn to be like us rather than bitter little pricks that run us off the road and park all jacked up. Something to think about.